- A UN report confirmed four cases of sexual exploitation and abuse involving Kenyan-led troops in Haiti.
- The incidents form part of a wider 2025 UN review showing 568 victims of abuse across peacekeeping missions, including 158 children.
- Investigations were carried out in cooperation with Kenyan authorities, while primary responsibility for prosecution rests with troop-contributing countries.
- The cases involved victims aged between 12 and 18, highlighting serious concerns over mission oversight and accountability.
The United Nations revealed that personnel under the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti were implicated in four substantiated cases of sexual exploitation and abuse. The findings were documented in the annual UN Secretary-General report on conduct in peacekeeping operations.
According to the report, investigations confirmed all allegations, and the incidents were referred to the mission’s leadership for appropriate action.
The 2025 UN report highlighted a total of 568 victims across peacekeeping and security operations worldwide, including 158 children. The UN described these incidents as “a fundamental betrayal of the trust placed in the United Nations and its partners,” underscoring the deep impact on affected communities.
The UN stressed that while it oversees conduct, the responsibility to investigate and prosecute rests primarily with the countries contributing troops, including Kenya.
External reports, including coverage by the Miami Herald, indicate that the victims in the four Kenyan-related cases were between 12 and 18 years old. Most cases remain under review, with one incident involving a 12-year-old already subject to an internal mission investigation.
The allegations were first reported locally by Port-au-Prince news outlet AyiboPost. Efforts to get comments from mission leaders and the UN’s human rights office were unsuccessful.
The Kenya-led mission, mainly composed of Kenyan police officers, was deployed to Haiti in 2024 following a UN Security Council mandate to combat gang violence. Although supported by the UN, it operated as a non-UN force and concluded its operations earlier this year.
The UN noted that personnel underwent pre-deployment and in-mission training to prevent sexual abuse, but emphasised that non-UN peace operations require stricter oversight and monitoring.
The UN report called on troop-contributing countries to act swiftly and transparently in handling allegations. It warned that sexual exploitation and abuse inflict “devastating and lifelong harm” on victims and stressed the need for stronger safeguards to restore community trust in peacekeeping operations.
